Southern Aboriginal Corporation and Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar Aboriginal Corporation get funds for Rangers

An injection of State Government funding has ensured the ranger programs employing young Aboriginal people will continue in the Great Southern for the next two years. The Southern Aboriginal Corporation and Wagyl Kaip Southern Noongar Aboriginal Corporation are two of 12 organisations sharing in $16.5m to continue employing young Indigenous people to undertake biodiversity research, environmental conservation and management of cultural tourism. SAC received $1,880,446 for its Aboriginal Ranger Program, of which 80 per cent of employees are aged between 16 and 24. Jyrin Woods, who has been a ranger for more than two years and is now looking to complete his diploma in conservation management and ecosystems following his stint as a ranger, said he had got a lot out of the program. “I spend most of the day out looking after country doing beach cleanups, track cleanups and pick points which is walking in the bush with a GPS to track wild pigs,” he said. “It’s given me a lot of opportunities and skills that I can use for the rest of my career. “I enjoy coming to work each day.” SAC chief executive Asha Bhat said as well as supporting conservation work, the program helped the young rangers in preserving their heritage through initiatives like the woodwork shop where they can create boomerangs, taap (tapping sticks) and meirr (spears) for school education programs. “This program is not just about environmental management, it’s about cultural preservation and empowering the next generation,” she said. “By working closely with elders and communities, we ensure that our rangers gain a deep understanding of their cultural roots and the importance of their work.” WKSN was granted $1,276,946 for its Sustainable Land Management Capacity project, which involves developing new high school ranger education programs, a fire management plan and training and conducting feasibility studies and business plans for commercial camping grounds and other tourism enterprises. WKSN chair Jeanice Krackouer said she expected the land management program to be running by 2025. “Noongar knowledge and customs helped us look after our boodja for thousands of generations, and now this funding will allow us to protect our boodja for the future,” she said. “An important part of this work is teaching this knowledge to our kids, so we’re protecting that knowledge and ensuring our boodja will remain in safe hands. “This knowledge will also benefit the wider community through its knowledge of land management for healthier and more resilient country.” Albany MLA Rebecca Stephens congratulated the two groups on their funding success. “The Aboriginal Ranger Program empowers communities to protect their country and creates meaningful opportunities for Aboriginal people to share their knowledge of caring for country while developing community resilience and leadership,” she said. “It has shown to be a highly successful program which brings with it the proven benefits of employment and on the job training.“